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I. THAYER. MACHINE FOR GRUSHING AND PRESSING GRAPES.

No. 319,640. Patented June 9. 18.85.

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I. THAYER. MAGHINE FOR ORUSHING AND PRESSING GRAPES.

No. 319,640. Patented June 9, 1885.

MZLFZE'ESE'SI NITED STATES ISAAC THAYER, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

' MACHINE FOR CRUSHING AND PRESSING GRAPES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 319,640, dated June 9,1885.

Application filed May 27, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Isaac THAYER, of San Francisco, California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Crushing and Pressing Grapes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines for mashing and pressing grapes in the manufacture of wine; and it consists in certain novel construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter fully described and pointed out, to produce a mill or machine having many advantages both as to cost of manufacture, durability, ca pacity, and efficiency of work.

The following description explains the nature of these improvements and the manner in which I proceed to construct, apply, combine, and operate them, the accompanying drawings being referred to by figures and letters.

Figure l of the drawings represents a side elevation in longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a plan or top View. Figs. 3 and 3 show the construction of the bunch-holding clamp. Figs. a and 5 give details of the rolls.

A A represent the side frames to support a set of corrugated rolls, B -B, a supply-hopper,

C, and a set of screens, D E. At the upper.

part of the frame, in adjustable boxes F F, are mounted two picking-rollers, G G, that in connection with a novel bunch holding clamp, H, perform the work of stripping off the grapes from the stems.

The hopper has flaring sides C, that extend under and beyond the picking-rollers to afford a feed table or platform to each roller, whereon the bunches are laid and held by the stems in suitable proximity to the barbs of the roller. The lower part of the hopper entirely incloses the rolls B B, and has curved sides to conform to and fit closely around the outer sides of the rolls, while its ends are the vertical sides of the hopper that fit in between the ends of the rolls and the boxes A The bottom of the hopper is formed of two inclined screens, II, of wire or of perforated plates, that are joined together at the convergence of the two inclines, and at the upper edges are fixed to the frame.

The rolls B are set within the space or chamber inclosed by the sides of the hopper and the screens beneath, and one of the rolls has adjust able boxes movable upon the frame, as

seen in Figs. 1 and 3, to regulate the contact of one corrugated surface with the other, and thus increase or diminish the degree of pressure upon the matter according to the requirement of the work. These rolls are of peculiar construction. They are formed of a cast-metal core or center, 13*, with deep and regular corrugations, and a thick outside face of rubber, B**, previously molded to fit the corrugated surface and then placed over the core. Heads B with screw-holes b b, and corresponding to the shape of the end of the roll, are fixed by screws that take into the metal of the core and 6 5 serve to hold the elastic surface in place, as well as to afford attachments of journals B and rolls. This elastic surit'aceB** is not sim ply a layer or covering, but is a body of considerable thickness, and of such thickness that it prevents the mashing or pressing force of the rolls from crushing the seeds, so that while the grape receives the required degree of pressure and is perfectly pressed the seeds are not broken and are kept whole and with the pulp pass out of the machine.

The separation of the skins, pulp, and seeds from the juice and their perfect discharge from the machine is effected by the inclined screens I I under the pressingrolls, and by the double sets of screens DE, that are fixed beneath the hopper and run outward with a considerable pitch or inclination downward to a refusebox, K K, at either end of the frame. The upper screen in each set is somewhat coarser than the lower one to prevent any portion of the pulp matter too small to be held by the upper screen from dropping into the juiceboxes below.

The space under the hopper affords sufficient room for movable j nice-boxes L, which for convenience in removing and replacing are mounted on wheels, and are also made of such size as to be readily rolled in and out be neath the screens. Three or more of the juice-boxes are fitted to the space within the through the medium of suitable gearing, at increased speed. Its office is to clean off the surface of the two rolls.

The stripping-rollers are set in adjustable boxesF F on the posts of the frame. They are armed with barbs or picker-teeth formed of rubber or other material of such character as to give asomewhat elastic tooth orpoint, and when in motion they run close enough to the tablesurface beneath to engage with the bunches laid thereon and strip off the grapes. The teeth are either set into the body of the roll or they are molded integral with a rubber backing in rows or strips or one continuous sheet that is afterward stretched over the roller and fastened to its surface. The bunches are presented to these rollers by means of a bunchholding implement, the construction whereof is shown in Figs. 7 3 and 3. It is composed of two bars, H 11*, fi'xed to the ends of two pivoted levers, P P, with handles P and a spring, 1), by the joint action of which the two bars are opened to receive the stems of the clusters and are closed to pinch and hold them- One of the barshas a V- groovein its face, and the opposing face of the other bar has a'projecting surface of corresponding form to take into the groove, this surface being an elastic strip, but the groove being either of wood or metal. By using such a device alarge number of clusters can be presented to the stripping-rollers at one time and the feeding performed in a rapid manner. With several of these holders and an assistant to fill them with clusters the strippingrollers can be supplied with material to work on as rapidly as they can be driven and caused to work.

One of the corrugated rolls has a fast and loose pulley for a belt from a suitable drivingshaft or other power, and the two rolls are connected by spur-gears with long teeth to permit movement between the rolls for regulating the pressure. The picking-rollers are driven from the roll-shafts by belts and pulleys,

and the brush-roller receives motion from one grapes, the combination, with the hopper, of

the pickingrollers G, and the feed tables or surfaces 0, substantially as and for the purposes described.

3. In combination with the hopper and crushing apparatus, the screens I I beneath the hopper, the juice-boxes L, the inclined screens D E, and the refuse-boxes K, substantially as and to operate as set forth.

4. The bunch-holding clamp or device for holding and presenting clusters of grapes to a picking or stripping device, consisting of the clamping-bars H 11* and the pivoted handles P P, substantially as described.

5. A stripping mechanism for removing grapes in clusters from the stems, consisting of the driven rollers G, having picker-teeth, and the clamp-bars H 11*, adapted to grasp and hold the stems of the clusters, substantially as described. a

6. The combination of hopper O, corrugated rubber-surfaced rolls B B, brush-roller M, and separating-screens I D E, substantially as described.

ISAAO THA YER.

Witnesses:

EDWARD E. OSBORN, JNo. L. TAGGARD. 

